California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, California · Public, a small suburb · 21,996 undergraduates
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Is it hard to get into Cal Poly?
The middle half of admitted students scored in these ranges: a quarter scored lower, a quarter higher. Fall 2024 admissions, from the College Scorecard.
Acceptance rate
31.3%
63,736 applied
SAT, middle half
Not published
Not used for admission
ACT, middle half
Not published
Not used for admission
Test scores this year
Not used at all
28% of admitted students enrolled
- What they look at
- High school GPARequired
- Courses takenRequired
- College-prep programRequired
How much does Cal Poly cost?
Sticker prices and what students actually paid after grants, by family income. A year means tuition, fees, room, board, books and other costs.
Tuition and fees, California residents
$15,039
Tuition and fees, out of state
$37,005
A full year, sticker price
$36,515
Living on campus
Average price after grants
$18,832
Students who got federal aid
What a year cost, by family income
| Family income | Average paid after grants |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $10,354 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $9,975 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $12,476 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $18,082 |
| Over $110,000 | $31,461 |
- Room and board on campus
- $19,443 a year; $20,907 off campus
- Books and supplies
- $1,119 a year
- The school's own grants
- 41% of full-time first-years get one, averaging $7,705
Tuition over the years
Tuition and fees for a year, as reported to the federal government.
How much do Cal Poly students borrow?
Federal student loans only, for students who borrowed.
Typical debt at graduation
$16,500
About $188 a month over ten years
Students who borrow
24.4%
Get a Pell Grant
23.2%
Federal grant for lower-income families
Over 25 when they start
2.3%
What do Cal Poly graduates earn?
Typical yearly pay of everyone who started here with federal aid, whatever they studied and whether or not they finished.
Six years after starting
$78,025
Ten years after starting
$96,304
Middle half: $64,514 to $140,884
Best-paid program, five years out
$179,459
Computer Science
Lowest-paid program, five years out
$58,903
Animal Sciences
Do Cal Poly students finish?
Of the students who started full time, first time.
Back for second year
95.5%
Graduate in six years
86.6%
The four-year figure is for a later, smaller group, so it is not shown
After eight years
87% graduated
7% transferred, 0% still enrolled
Who goes to Cal Poly?
Women
50.8%
First in their family at college
24.8%
Part-time
3.5%
Students per teacher
19
- Background
- White 48%, Hispanic 25%, Asian 14%, Two or more 8%
- Housing
- Campus housing, 8,820 beds
What do Cal Poly graduates earn, by program?
Every bachelor's program the school awards, with what its graduates earn and owe. The government hides pay for small programs, so some rows have no figure.
Computer science
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | 421 | $129,984 | $179,459 | $15,000 |
Engineering
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | 205 | $88,269 | $111,710 | $19,333 |
| Agricultural Engineering | 69 | $85,019 | $111,119 | $25,000 |
| Architectural Engineering | 71 | $81,271 | $98,136 | $21,627 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 155 | $84,426 | $122,217 | $19,500 |
| Civil Engineering | 274 | $79,454 | $106,910 | $16,667 |
| Computer Engineering | 246 | $114,472 | $162,720 | $17,178 |
| Construction Engineering | 0 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 235 | $95,254 | $124,658 | $20,315 |
| Engineering Science | 26 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Engineering-Related Fields | 0 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering | 70 | $79,657 | $100,240 | $16,109 |
| Industrial Engineering | 145 | $89,961 | $122,185 | $18,999 |
| Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | 83 | $78,209 | Hidden | Hidden |
| Manufacturing Engineering | 45 | $77,750 | $108,502 | Hidden |
| Materials Engineering | 105 | $77,737 | $129,740 | $18,500 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 566 | $86,929 | $116,548 | $17,000 |
Business and commerce
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 1,437 | $73,444 | $113,339 | $15,000 |
| Construction Management | 276 | $91,503 | $116,040 | $18,399 |
Health sciences and kinesiology
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services | 0 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Public Health | 114 | $39,262 | Hidden | $16,500 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 151 | Hidden | $72,927 | $12,749 |
Life sciences
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agricultural Business and Management | 244 | $62,504 | $92,139 | $14,167 |
| Agricultural Mechanization | 61 | $68,847 | Hidden | Hidden |
| Agricultural Public Services | 64 | $67,189 | $82,769 | Hidden |
| Agriculture, General | 67 | $56,536 | $85,804 | Hidden |
| Animal Sciences | 366 | $40,627 | $58,903 | $15,000 |
| Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services | 0 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 66 | $56,115 | $67,459 | Hidden |
| Biology, General | 316 | $45,825 | $79,791 | $18,576 |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | 1 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy | 267 | $50,871 | $72,686 | $15,083 |
| Food Science and Technology | 188 | $54,906 | $84,810 | $12,833 |
| Forestry | 86 | $45,731 | $75,610 | $15,000 |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | 44 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 0 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Plant Sciences | 104 | $58,916 | $81,403 | $19,333 |
| Soil Sciences | 0 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
Math and physical sciences
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chemistry | 57 | $65,943 | $73,259 | Hidden |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 69 | $47,795 | $78,602 | Hidden |
| Mathematics | 119 | $52,033 | $87,645 | $16,851 |
| Physics | 69 | $42,890 | $92,743 | Hidden |
| Statistics | 90 | $77,340 | $106,032 | $15,904 |
Arts and humanities
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language and Literature, General | 102 | $35,293 | $73,372 | $20,833 |
| History | 116 | $21,697 | $65,826 | $19,833 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | 3 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Philosophy | 59 | $29,855 | Hidden | Hidden |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | 0 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 20 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
Education (teaching)
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 102 | Hidden | $61,833 | $15,334 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 0 | Hidden | $70,660 | Hidden |
Fine and performing arts
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 29 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 120 | Hidden | $72,638 | $18,250 |
| Graphic Communications | 156 | $52,902 | $88,294 | $17,000 |
| Music | 24 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
Architecture and design
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural Sciences and Technology | 298 | $68,292 | Hidden | $22,500 |
| Architecture | 0 | Hidden | $81,816 | Hidden |
| City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning | 66 | $59,601 | $83,945 | $18,500 |
| Landscape Architecture | 90 | $61,551 | $74,865 | $19,500 |
General arts and science (major chosen later)
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 218 | $36,044 | $69,530 | $13,000 |
| Marine Sciences | 50 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 71 | $44,063 | Hidden | $14,667 |
| Nutrition Sciences | 137 | $37,212 | $67,420 | $17,644 |
Other programs
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies | 195 | $57,289 | $61,506 | $15,250 |
Compare Cal Poly with other universities
Side by side: acceptance rates, scores, costs and pay.
Where these numbers come from
College Scorecard release 10152026, Most Recent Cohorts files, fetched 2026-10-20. Test policy: the school's page (opens in a new tab). Tuition history, housing and the school's own grants: the federal IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) survey.
How every figure in this part of the site is sourced, and the check of every link.
Careerhelp is not affiliated with California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Figures describe past students; check the school's own pages before you apply.
Social sciences